Hook

ABSTRACT

A hook structure which forms part of a device for tying down motor vehicles upon vehicle transports such as railroad cars, trailers, and the like. The hook structure is capable of being inserted through an elongated slot in the frame of a motor vehicle and comprises a body having means at opposite edges for the attachment of two chains. A bolt is rotatably connected to the body and terminates in an elongated cross-head. The bolt is capable of being inserted head first into the slot and retained therein when turned 90°. The bolt has a square shank portion under the head which normally engages the slot to prevent rotation. The bolt shank has a circular portion more remote from the head to permit the bolt to be rotated when inserted farther into the slot.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to devices for tying down motor vehicles upon vehicle transports, such as railroad cars, trailers, and the like, and refers more particularly to an improved hook structure capable of being inserted through a suitable slot in an anchorage member forming a part of or attached to the chassis frame of a motor vehicle to be tied down.

Until recently, each tie down device has had a single chain connected by a hook to the anchorage member of the motor vehicle to hold the motor vehicle from movement in one direction, either forwardly or rearwardly. The hook will be pulled in only one direction by the single chain connected to it.

Now, however, tie down devices are being developed which have two chains per hook, one chain slanting forwardly and the other slanting rearwardly. Each such tie down device will hold the motor vehicle against both forward and rearward movement. In such tie down devices, the hook will be pulled one way and then the other as the tension shifts from chain to chain.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a hook which will be secure in the slot in the anchorage member, no matter which of the two chains is in tension.

Other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, especially when considered with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a motor vehicle being tied down on the deck of a vehicle transport by tie down devices having hook structure constructed in accordance with my invention, the motor vehicle being shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of a portion of FIG. 1 showing the hook structure of one of the tie down devices engaged in an anchorage member on the motor vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the hook structure engaged in the anchorage member as seen from above in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 may also be considered as an enlarged fragmentary detail of the hook structure of the rear tie down device shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, A is a longitudinally extending, elongated, substantially flat, horizontal deck of a transport, such, for example, as a railroad flat car, B is a stationary main supporting channel or rail secured to and extending lengthwise of the deck, and C are tie down devices for tying down a motor vehicle V.

The tie down devices C are identical. Each comprises a hook structure 10, a pair of flexible linear tensioning elements, here shown as being in the form of chains 12, attached to the hook structure, and a pair of carriages 14 disposed in the channel B and respectively attached to the ends of the two chains. Actually, a single carriage could be employed instead of two, with both chains attached to it.

The carriages in themselves form no part of the invention and may be of any suitable construction. In the present instance, and as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, each carriage may have laterally outwardly extending bosses 16. The side walls 18 of the channel are formed with horizontal in-turned flanges 20 which overlie the bosses to prevent the carriages from lifting out. Each carriage also has a horizontal transversely disposed axially slidable locking pin 22 engageable in any one of the series of openings 24 in one of the side walls of the rail by means of which the carriage may be locked in longitudinally adjusted position. Each carriage also has a vertical shaft 26 upon which the end of a chain is wrapped. The top of the shaft has a ratchet gear 28, and pawl 30 is provided for locking the shaft against rotation to hold the chain under tension. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,969 for a more detailed description of the carriage.

The hook structure 10 is adapted to be inserted through an elongated opening or slot 34 in an anchorage member 32 forming a part of or attached to the chassis frame of the motor vehicle V. The hook structure of the tie down device for the front of the vehicle is shown engaging a slot 34 in the outboard vertical wall 35 of the anchorage member 32. The hook structure of the tie down device for the rear of the vehicle is shown engaging a slot 34 in the bottom horizontal wall 37 of the anchorage member. The slot in the anchorage member at the rear of the motor vehicle may extend either transversely of the motor vehicle or longitudinally thereof. In most instances, it is desired that this slot extend longitudinally rather than transversely so as not to excessively weaken the anchorage member.

The hook structure 10 comprises an elongated rigid body 39 having an integral circular loop or eye 38 at each end in which the end link of one of the chains 12 is engaged. The eyes 38 may, if desired, extend at an angle to the plane of the central portion of the body, as seen in FIG. 4. The body has a central hole 40 of uniform circular cross section. The relationship of the hole 40 to the eyes 38 in this instance is such that a plane normal to and extending through the centers of the two eyes contains the central axis of the hole.

The hook structure also includes a bolt 42 which is rotatably connected to and projects laterally from the body. More specifically, the bolt has a shank 44 provided with a portion 46 of uniform circular cross section of substantially the same size and shape as the hole 40 in the body in which it is rotatably received. The body 39 can therefore swivel or rotate on the bolt. The circular portion 46 is of a length greater than the thickness of the body so that the shank can slide axially in hole 40. The shank terminates at one end in an integral elongated, rectangular cross head 48 which extends across the end of the shank at a right angle thereto. The cross head 48 has a length which is greater than and a width which is less than the width of slot 34. The head 48 has a length which may be less than but preferably is slightly greater than the length of the slot. The bolt is insertable head first into the slot when the head is disposed lengthwise of the slot, and then is turned 90°, as in FIGS. 2 and 4, to dispose the head crosswise of the slot. If the head 48 is longer than the slot, as it is in the present instance, the bolt may be inserted head first by tilting the bolt slightly with the head lengthwise of the slot, inserting one end of the head through the slot, moving the bolt lengthwise of the slot until the shank contacts the end of the slot, and then rocking the bolt about the slot end as a fulcrum until the other end of the head passes through the slot. A longer head is preferred because when the bolt head is turned crosswise of the slot, a greater length of head will be in bearing contact with the wall 35 or 37.

The shank 44 has a portion 50 immediately under the cross head which is of square cross section. Two opposite flat sides 51 of the square portion 50 are spaced apart a distance equal to the diameter of circular portion 44 which is slightly less than the width of the slot. These sides 51 are actually extensions of the sides of the cross head. When the bolt extends through the slot with the head 48 crosswise thereof and bearing against the inner surface of wall 35 or 37, the two flat sides 51 engage the opposite sides of the slot so that the bolt cannot rotate.

On the end of the shank opposite cross head 48 the bolt has an integral enlarged circular retainer 52 which is larger in diameter than the circular shank portion 46 as well as the hole 40 in the body 39. The length of the cross head 48 is, of course, greater than the diameter of the hole 40, so that together the cross head 48 and retainer 52 keep the bolt at all times in assembled relation with the body. When the body 39 contacts the retainer 52 and the bolt is engaged in the slot in the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the distance between the body and the wall 35 is sufficient to permit the bolt shank to be inserted further into the slot to a point such that the square portion 50 is inside the anchorage member clear of the slot, so that the bolt can be rotated.

Projecting outwardly from and integral with the retainer 52 is an elongated flag or indicator 54 which extends across the diameter of the retainer and is disposed in the same angular relation as the cross head 48. Therefore, the user of the tie down device can readily determine from the indicator the direction in which the cross head extends after it has been inserted through the slot 34.

In use, the carriages of each tie down device will be disposed loosely in the channel or rail in positions such that the hook structure can be engaged with a slot 34 of the anchorage member of a motor vehicle on the deck of the transport. The bolt shank 44 is inserted into the slot 34 with the cross head 48 disposed lengthwise of the slot. The bolt shank is inserted far enough so that the square portion 50 of the shank is inside the anchorage member clear of the slot 34, and the circular portion 46 is within the slot. The bolt is rotated 90° so that the cross head extends crosswise of the slot, after which the bolt is withdrawn to the position shown in FIGS. 2--4 in which the cross head bears against the inner surface of the wall of the anchorage member and the square portion 50 of the shank is disposed in the slot. In this position, the sides or flats 51 cooperate with the side walls of the slot to prevent the bolt from rotating. The flag or indicator 54 tells the workman immediately in which direction the cross head extends. With the cross head disposed crosswise of the slot within the anchorage member and bearing against the inner surface of the wall of the anchorage member, the two carriages are pulled apart to positions in which the locking pins 22 thereof may be engaged in suitable openings 24 in the channel, after which the chains are tightened to the degree necessary or desirable by rotation of the shafts 26. It will be understood, of course, that the pawls 30 cooperate with ratchet gears 28 to lock the shafts against reverse rotation and hold the chains under tension. Tension in the chains holds the cross head 48 in contact with the wall of the anchorage member so that it cannot rotate.

As seen in FIG. 1, one of the chains of each tie down device slants downwardly and forwardly while the other slants downwardly and rearwardly. Hence, one chain or the other of each tie down device will be in tension to hold the vehicle from either forward or rearward movement. The hook structure is designed so that it will not pull out of the slot, no matter in which direction, that is forwardly or rearwardly, the vehicle tends to move. Tension in either chain will not pull the hook out of the slot. The bolt cannot rotate and one end or the other of the cross head will lock against the wall of the anchorage member. The body 39, however, can rotate on the bolt as tension shifts from one chain to the other.

It was stated previously that the slot in the bottom horizontal wall 37 of the anchorage member desirably extends longitudinally rather than transversely of the vehicle so as not to excessively weaken the anchorage member. Even though the bolt structure may shift in a longitudinally extending slot as tension shifts one one chain to the other, there is no danger of the bolt structure pulling out of the slot.

While FIGS. 1 and 2 show the hook structure engaged in a slot in the outboard vertical wall 35 of the anchorage member 32, it will be understood that the hook structure may also be engaged in a similar slot in the inboard vertical wall of the anchorage member. 

What I claim as my invention is:
 1. A hook structure adapted to be secured in an anchorage member provided with an elongated slot, said hook structure comprising an elongated body having attaching means adjacent opposite ends thereof each for attachment to a tensioning element, said body having a central cylindrical hole, a bolt, said bolt having a shank extending through said hole and adapted to enter and turn in said slot, said shank having a cross head at one end and a retainer at the other end, said cross head and retainer being disposed at opposite sides of said body and having maximum dimensions greater than the diameter of said hole to retain said bolt and body in assembled relation, said cross head being of a length greater than and a width less than the width of the slot to permit said bolt shank to be inserted head first into the slot from one side of the anchorage member when said cross head is disposed lengthwise of the slot and then to be rotated to dispose said cross head crosswise of the slot to bear against the opposite side of the anchorage member, said bolt shank having a first portion adjacent said cross head of such non-circular cross section as to prevent rotation of said bolt by engagement with the side walls of the slot when said cross head is disposed crosswise of the slot and bears against such opposite side of the anchorage member, said bolt shank having a cylindrical portion more remote from said cross head than said first portion permitting rotation of said bolt when said bolt shank is inserted further into the slot to move said head away from such opposite side of the anchorage member, said body being free to turn on said cylindrical portion of said bolt shank in response to varying tension in the tensioning elements and to bear against said retainer to hold said cross head in bearing contact with wuch opposite surface of the anchorage member.
 2. A hook structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical portion of said bolt shank is of a length greater than the thickness of said body to permit said body to move axially relative thereto. 